Bedding apparatus

ABSTRACT

A bedding apparatus having a waterproof, washable, reusable first sheet with pockets that depend from a central portion is provided. The central portion protects bed linen and the mattress of a bed, while the pockets are dimensioned and adapted to depend therefrom adjacent to the bed for arm&#39;s length storage. The bedding apparatus may also include at least one generally coextensive second sheet to provide comfort for a user as well as a medium from personalizing the bedding apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/472,452, filed 16 Mar. 2017, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bedding and, more particularly, to a bedding apparatus adapted to be placed over a bed sheet for its protection, wherein the bedding apparatus provides a waterproof, washable, reusable surface with pockets.

Since people spend, on average, eight hours a day (or a third of every day) on their beds there is ample opportunity for the bedding to get stained or soiled. Be it from food, beverages or bodily fluids. Related to the causes of these stains, users of beds tend to have reason to keep many different objects and products within arm's lengths of their bed. Current so-called ‘mattress protectors’, however, do not cover the bed sheets, and users have to remove a typically heavy and bulky mattress to apply and remove them for cleaning. Also, current apparatuses do not provide arm-lengths storage capacity.

As can be seen, there is a need for a bedding apparatus that is applied over the top of bed sheets, so that if dirtied or soiled the bedding apparatus can be easily pulled off and washed, while the bed sheets beneath remain clean. The bedding apparatus also provides pockets hanging over the sides of the mattress for storage of personal items. The bedding apparatus may provide a fabric coating for comfort in addition to a waterproof center sheet for preventing stains and spoilage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a bedding apparatus for a mattress includes a first sheet having a central portion and at least one wing portion depending from the central portion; and at least one pocket provided by each wing portion.

In another aspect of the present invention, the bedding apparatus includes a waterproof first sheet having a central portion and at least one wing portion depending from the central portion, wherein the central portion has two opposing distal ends and the central portion extends therebetween a distance coextensive with a width of said mattress, and wherein each wing portion depends from one of the two distal ends; at least one pocket provided by each wing portion, wherein each wing portion depends downwardly respective the central portion so that an opening an opening of each pocket is facing upwardly toward the central portion, wherein each wing portion is dimensioned so as to be disposed adjacent to at least one side of said mattress; at least one second sheet, each second sheet made of non-water proof material, and each second sheet coextensive with at least the central portion.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed section view of FIG. 5 illustrating a curved portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a bedding apparatus providing a waterproof, washable, reusable first sheet with pockets that depend from a central portion. The central portion protects bed linen and the mattress of a bed, while the pockets are dimensioned and adapted to depend therefrom adjacent to the bed for arm's length storage. The bedding apparatus may also include at least one generally coextensive second sheet to provide comfort for a user as well as a medium from personalizing the bedding apparatus.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, the present invention may include a bedding apparatus 10. The bedding apparatus 10 may provide a first sheet 14 and at least one generally coextensive second sheet 12. The first sheet 14 may be made from a waterproof and washable planar material, such as thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), vinyl, rubber or other various plasticized materials. Each second sheet 14 may be made from a comfortable fabric, such as cotton, polyester, or the like.

Each sheet 14 and 16 may provide a central portion 44 and at least one wing portion 54, wherein the central portion 44 is dimensioned and adapted to cover a width a mattress top. The mattress top width generally being determined by the conventional ‘sizes’ of mattresses: ‘twin’, ‘full’, ‘queen’, ‘king’, and ‘California king’ sizes. The coplanar wing portions 54 may extend from a distal end 48 of said width a predetermined distance so that in use each wing portion 54 may drape, hang or depend from said distal end 48, as illustrated in FIG. 1. In certain embodiments, a curved portion 64 may interconnect the central portion 44 and associated wing portion 54, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the use of directional terms such as upper, lower, upward, downwardly, top and the like are used in relation to the illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures, the upward direction (or upper) being toward the top of the corresponding figures and a downward direction being toward the bottom of the corresponding figure.

In certain embodiments, the first and second sheets 14 and 12 may only be generally coextensive for the central portion 44. Orthogonal to the wing portion(s) 54 may be finished edges 18 which may or may not extend to a periphery of the bed 20/mattress.

Each wing portion 44 may be dimensioned and adapted to provide at least one pocket 16 along its distal edge 58, as illustrated the FIGS. 1-5. Each pocket 16 may be formed by the distal edge 58 turning back toward itself (upwardly in the in-use condition), and wherein joining lines 60 may be used via stitching or the like to provide at least one pocket 16 on each wing portion 54. Each pocket 16 provide an upward-facing pocket opening 66, as illustrated in the FIGS. Each pocket 16 being dimensioned and adapted for arms-length storage of personal items (not shown) while a user uses the present invention.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. The bedding apparatus 10 disclosed above may be provided. A user needing a bed 20, may place the central portion 44 over bed linen 22 they wish to protect from staining so that the wing portion(s) 54 depends from the distal portion 48 while being adjacent a side of the bed 20. If a user is bed ridden for a time, such as a hospital patient, the present invention can be used to ease the burden of the caretaker, especially if the convalescent may be prone to suboptimal control of and/or unintentionally discharging bodily fluids. If soiled, the bedding apparatus 10 may be easily removed, washed, and reapplied. Moreover, when in use the pockets 16 of the bedding apparatus 10 provides arm's-length storage for such items such as pills, bandages, books, remote controls, and the like, further easing the burden of the caretaker. A user may personalize the bedding apparatus 10 as well.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A bedding apparatus for a mattress, comprising: a first sheet having a central portion and at least one wing portion depending from the central portion; at least one second sheet, each second sheet made of non-water proof material, and each second sheet coextensive with at least the central portion; and at least one pocket provided by each wing portion.
 2. The bedding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sheet is a waterproof material.
 3. The bedding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the central portion has two opposing distal ends and the central portion extends therebetween a distance coextensive with a width of said mattress, and wherein each wing portion depends from one of the two distal ends.
 4. The bedding apparatus of claim 3, wherein each wing portion depends downwardly respective the central portion.
 5. The bedding apparatus of claim 4, wherein each pocket provides an opening facing upwardly toward the central portion.
 6. The bedding apparatus of claim 5, wherein each wing portion is dimensioned so as to be disposed adjacent to at least one side of said mattress.
 7. (canceled)
 8. A bedding apparatus for a mattress, comprising: a waterproof first sheet having a central portion and at least one wing portion depending from the central portion, wherein the central portion has two opposing distal ends and the central portion extends therebetween a distance coextensive with a width of said mattress, and wherein each wing portion depends from one of the two distal ends; at least one pocket provided by each wing portion, wherein each wing portion depends downwardly respective the central portion so that an opening an opening of each pocket is facing upwardly toward the central portion, wherein each wing portion is dimensioned so as to be disposed adjacent to at least one side of said mattress; at least one second sheet, each second sheet made of non-water proof material, and each second sheet coextensive with at least the central portion. 